Filippo Rogai - The Living Flute '2024

Tracks list

Tracklist

01. From 12 Fantasies for solo flute (Provided of introduction and cadenzas by
Riccardo Parrucci)
02. Flight
03. Kokopeli
04. Density 21.5
05. Debla
06. Frog flute(s)
07. Blip Blip Blip
08. Soliloquy
09. sCadenze

The focus of this work is craftsmanship and the unity of making music as an
alternative to specialization, which today forces the separation of activities
and skills. Making music in the sense of composing, performing, and recording
it, following a rigorous and professional process, and avoiding
compartmentalization. Thus, Riccardo Parrucci, a musician and flutist, appears
in the finished work as a composer, sound technician, and advisor on certain
executive and interpretative choices. Filippo Rogai, who selected the pieces,
fulfills his role as a performer without renouncing his involvement in
Parrucci’s compositional process. The synergy between the two creates a
continuum of ideas, suggestions, and images that accompany the listener through
the various pieces, whose performing order has been the subject of reflection
and elaboration, beyond the more customary chronological intent.
The CD was produced over an extended period, but this did not affect the unity
of the work: these are live recordings from 2017 to 2023, made during Filippo
Rogai’s concerts. The first track is a selection from Telemann’s
“12 Fantasies,” based on a harmonic criterion; each Fantasy is
introduced and linked to the others by Parrucci with short original compositions
in a contemporary style, where Parrucci’s jazz vein is mixed with quotes
from the major flute repertoire.
The listening journey alternates between almost classical pieces like
“Density 21.5” by Varèse, the first composition in flute history
to include percussive effects, and pieces by living authors representing a niche
of virtuosic creativity straddling the Old and New Worlds. From George
Benjamin’s conceptual “Flight” to Gary Schocker’s
neobaroque “Blip Blip Blip,” through Katherine Hoover’s
“Kokopeli,” which refers to myths and sounds of Native Americans, to
Cristóbal Halffter’s hypnotic “Debla,” which
reappropriates the sounds of Andalusian folklore, contrasts with Lowell
Liebermann’s visionary “Soliloquy,” which evokes nocturnal
urban landscapes.
Finally, the original compositions of Riccardo Parrucci, “FRrog” and
“sCadenze,” both dedicated to Rogai, were born from substantially
different inventiveness. “FRog” is an explicitly desired project
– as also evident from the title of the composition – where the
dedicatee (perhaps amphibious in features?) is clearly present, albeit
acronymically. “sCadenze,” on the contrary, is almost an unexpected
event: the piece was built around the same short connecting compositions used to
enrich the Telemann Fantasies from the first track. However, there is a
significant inversion, likely representing contemporary times: while initially
the short Cadenzas connect the Fantasies, now in “sCadenze,”
it’s the Telemann Fantasies – briefly quoted – that connect
the Cadenzas. Parrucci’s insertion of an extra “s” in
“sCadenze” conveys a considerable dose of self-irony:
“sCadenze” (meaning “deadlines” in Italian) as something
imperative to fulfill, a creative urgency that suddenly arises and must
absolutely be met, but also a privative “s,” downscaling the
pretensions and seriousness of the composition while simultaneously increasing
its value. Thus, a decomposition of roles and their reconstruction in reverse
occurs: what was secondary becomes central and vice versa, thereby closing the
listening circle, in a sense returning exactly to where it began, not with the
initial naivety but with the awareness that the only important thing is to be
serious without taking oneself too seriously.
The biographical excursus necessarily begins with Georg Philipp Telemann
(1681-1767), a German Baroque composer known for his extraordinary output and
versatility. Born in Magdeburg, he studied law in Leipzig but his true passion
was music. Telemann held various musical positions in Leipzig and Frankfurt,
developing a wide range of musical influences through his travels in Europe. He
had a remarkably successful career, becoming one of the most celebrated
composers of his time. His “12 Fantasies for Solo Flute,” written
around 1727, are a collection of pieces where each fantasy presents a variety of
movements free from a predefined form.

George Benjamin (born 1960) is a London-based composer and conductor. As a young
man, Benjamin demonstrated significant musical talent, leading him to become a
student of Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatory. Currently a professor of
composition at the Royal College of Music in London, he is also active as a
conductor, regularly leading the London Sinfonietta. “Flight” for
solo flute, composed in 1979, is one of his notable chamber works. This piece is
a full-fledged part of the major flute repertoire, although it is rarely
performed due to its transcendentally challenging execution. Glissandi,
flutter-tonguing, and extreme dynamics in the instrument’s extreme
registers make the composition a kaleidoscope of colors and contrasts within a
clearly atonal harmonic structure.

Katherine Hoover (1937-2018) was an American composer and flutist, a prominent
figure in the North American music scene, recognized for her original
contribution to flute music. Her output includes several compositions for flute,
orchestra, and chamber music, often inspired by nature and the culture of Native
Americans. One of her most famous pieces is “Kokopeli” for solo
flute, composed in 1990. The title refers to a mythological figure in the Hopi
indigenous American people’s tradition. Kokopeli is often depicted as a
wandering flute player, a symbol of fertility, music, and free spirit.

Edgard Varèse (1883-1965) was a significant Franco-American composer of the
20th century. Considered a pioneer of electronic music and experimental music,
he left an indelible mark in the world of composition with his innovative
approach to music. One of his most famous works is “Density 21.5,”
written in 1936 for solo flute. This composition was dedicated to the renowned
flutist Georges Barrère, who debuted his platinum flute, with the piece named
after the density of platinum, 21.5. Varèse’s choice of this title
demonstrates his interest in science and physics, aspects he often integrated
into his works. “Density 21.5” is an extraordinary piece that
challenged conventions and the musical aesthetics of the time, becoming a
milestone in the instrument’s repertoire.

Cristóbal Halffter Jiménez-Encina (1930–2021) was an
internationally renowned Spanish composer. Born in Madrid into a family of
musicians, Halffter grew up in an environment rich in musical and cultural
traditions. His uncle Ernesto and father Rodolfo were established composers, and
this familial environment deeply influenced Cristóbal’s artistic
development. Halffter began his musical studies at the Madrid Conservatory and
later honed his skills in Frankfurt and Darmstadt, Germany, where he was exposed
to the musical avant-gardes of the time. “Debla” for solo flute,
composed in 1980 at the request of Hans Werner Henze for performance at the
Montepulciano Festival by the composer’s daughter, Maria, is an eloquent
example of his ability to combine elements of Spanish tradition with
contemporary avant-garde. “Debla” stands out for its dense writing
full of difficulties, exploring all the expressive possibilities of the flute,
including through the use of extended techniques. The main recurring elements
– referring to Andalusian folklore – are the use of quarter tones
and the alternation of slow, static moments with rhythmic and intensely
virtuosic ones.

Gary Schocker (born 1959) is an American composer, flutist, and pianist. He
studied at the Juilliard School and subsequently began his career as a flutist.
Over the years, he has gained recognition both as a performer and as a composer.
Schocker has written numerous compositions for the flute, both solo and in
various ensembles: among them is “Blip, blip, blip,” composed in
1996. This piece is an example of his ability to combine the classical tradition
– or even for certain formal choices neobaroque – with a
contemporary alphabet. “Blip, blip, blip” is a lively and energetic
composition that challenges the flutist’s abilities: the title itself
might suggest an intermittent sound or a brief, rapid acoustic signal, and
Schocker’s music reflects this idea through its dynamic and playful
writing.

Lowell Liebermann (born 1961) is an American composer and pianist from New York
City. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School. From
a young age, Liebermann showed exceptional talent both as a pianist and a
composer. His compositional career spans a variety of genres, including
orchestral, chamber, and vocal music. One of his numerous compositions for flute
is “Soliloquy,” written in 1989. This piece reflects
Liebermann’s distinctive style, blending traditional elements with a
postmodern musical language, without veering into experimentalism. In addition
to his compositional work, Lowell Liebermann has also been successful as a
pianist, performing worldwide. He has received numerous awards and accolades for
his contributions to contemporary music and the international music scene.

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